TA to regular

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Old-Salt

hi, does anyone know if i become a TA officer before i graduate from uni, can i transfer to a regular officer even though i will be 29 when i graduate (above the age for entry to Sandhurst)? Also is there anything i can do to improve my chances of going to Sandhurst after graduation? I'm already a member of the UOTC.

Pain is just weakness leaving the body, and you're gonna lose a lot of weakness

War Hero

hi, does anyone know if i become a TA officer before i graduate from uni, can i transfer to a regular officer even though i will be 29 when i graduate (above the age for entry to Sandhurst)? Also is there anything i can do to improve my chances of going to Sandhurst after graduation? I'm already a member of the UOTC.

LE

Someone asked this question at my Main Board, and the answer is that if you become a TA officer, although you do a short stint at RMAS you can't then convert it into a Regular Officer, you would need to do RMAS full course.

The upper age limit for entry to the army as an Officer is 29, but it isn't set in stone. Apparently professionally qualified and specialist (although I'm not sure what is meant by specialist) entrants have a higher limit.

LE

Someone asked this question at my Main Board, and the answer is that if you become a TA officer, although you do a short stint at RMAS you can't then convert it into a Regular Officer, you would need to do RMAS full course.

The upper age limit for entry to the army as an Officer is 29, but it isn't set in stone. Apparently professionally qualified and specialist (although I'm not sure what is meant by specialist) entrants have a higher limit.

I've often encountered this provision before, but have had difficulty in nailing down what it actually means - "professionally qualified and specialist" covers a lot of ground. For instance, suppose one passed/passes RCB/AOSB prior to hitting the upper age limit, but for whatever reason is unable to take up a place at the RMAS until after turning 29?* Also, does the 'age waiver' provision come into play?

*it seems that the upper age limit for RMAS entry was pared back to 28 about 3/4 months ago.

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LE

LE

Any statements I make while using this website are purely of my own opinion and are not to be construed as statements of fact and are not said with any intended malice. My opinions are a reflection of my earned right to freedom of expression and speech and do not necessarily reflect that of the site owners.

LE

Professionally qualified - Doctor, Vet, Dentist, Chaplain, Lawyers (?) in other words PQOs (professionally qualified officers) who are on a different pay scale and promotion timetable due to their "unique" status. As for specialist, maybe you could transfer as a Bomb Disposal officer or something - can't think of what covers specialist otherwise.

Army-Hopeful is right about tranfering though - do TA AOSB and RMAS, you would then need to do Reg RMAS to convert. Special cases used to exist, but they got a bit funny about people using it as a back door/short cut to entry.

LE

PQOs are Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Chaplains, Physiotherapists (I believe), Vets and Lawyers. As correctly stated, they are on a different pay and promotion scales to officers of other cap-badges. It is not possible for PQOs to transfer to other cap-badges.

You'd need to ask your careers officer (or your UOTC perminant staff) about whether or not you could start the (regular) commissioning course after your 29th birthday. I dare say that it would not make the slightest difference if you were a TA officer at that stage. You will still have to pass the regular AOSB in order to be loaded onto the regular commissioning course, whether you are a TA officer or not.

Old-Salt

LE

brave-coward, on the AOSB point, he would not actually have to do it again. The reason the board changed from RCB (Regular Commissions Board) to AOSB (Army Officer Selection Board) was to bring the selection procedure in line across the board.

Old-Salt

brave-coward, on the AOSB point, he would not actually have to do it again. The reason the board changed from RCB (Regular Commissions Board) to AOSB (Army Officer Selection Board) was to bring the selection procedure in line across the board.

LE

Old-Salt

I know of Offrs who have transferred from TA to Reg without going through RMAS again. It is worth checking the DCI laid out by Hantslad.

"Officers are there to lead. I tell you therefore, as officers, you will neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep, nor smoke nor even sit down until you have personally seen that your men have done those things. If you do this they will follow you to the end of the world. If you do not, I will break you."

Old-Salt

Having passed the Army Officer Selection Board (TA) and having subsequently been commisoned on the TA Commisioning Course, you would generally only have to do a Transfer Board at AOSB to get a place on the Regular Commisioning course.

In most cases as I understand it the Transfer Board is merely a checking of references, letters from your CO etc and does not involve you actually attending the Board.

You say you are at University and a member of the OTC. The implication is you dont have any operational experience etc. In that case you would definetly have to attend the regular commisioning course.

I believe there has been the odd exception made to attending the regular commisioning course for very experienced TA officers with considerable operational experience etc for specific vacancies.

In your case you would also have to apply for an age waiver to attend the main commisioning course as you are over 29. Your Army Careers Adviser would be able to advise you on that.

I suspect the problem you would have is deciding which cap badge to join. You could find your choice of arm limited by your age. I dont think you will generally find this written down but I suspect most combat arms units are going to be a bit reluctant to take someone over 29.

However I guess it depends on how good you are, what qualifiations and experience you have, how well you do on the course and whether you have any links - maybe gained during a TA mobilised tour or on visits - to the regiments you want to join.

Swinger

An officer in my corps transfered from TA to Reg and did not have to do the full RMAS course. Further, they were not operationally experienced and clearly did not have a great deal of other experience - a fact born out of that despite being earmarked for promotion to Capt they failed JOTES twice! (this was 6/7 years ago mind you)